The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1887-09-19
DESTRUCTIVE FIRES
1ApE1Lr GLASS WORKS BURNED

tt ifNaFf' Va - vi a. .hN|51t
LAnELLE GLASS WORKS BURNED.
A Pablle Calamity at bridgeport Saturday
Night, Caused by mn Explosion OF Natu. \
raj Gns-Ths Loss AID Insurance
of tho Nav Mar,insville Blaz.
Saturday night between 5 and 0 o'clock
FIRE broke ont in the main factory build.
ing Of tho LaBolle giaas works, nituated
at the lower end Of Bridgeport. When
first seen dense mRaB OF smoke was
pouring from The factory, but In a mo.
ment there was al explosion, and flames
BpranE clear TO the sky. The fire Tapped
up the whole structure rapidly, and spread
aa rapidly until the large wooden building
to the south OF the factory proper. used as
packing room aad ware house, waH also
q mass OF flames. The absence OF any
means to fight the fire placed the property
s!the mercy Of the dsvourinz element and
beyond saving small amount Of finished
ware at the first, all thoao who were inter.
ested could do was to stand and watch the
destruction Of their property. BAH
A call io- gid was sen. to this eide and
the silsby engine and It's reel were sont
over, but owing to tho low water, In the
| river aud the h.oep and soft bank no water
could be had and the run was for nothing
Tho impression prevailed at frat that the
fire Was in the city. In the Opera House
there waa much confusion among the au.
dience till the truth was learned. The fire
witnessed from this aldo OF the river was
indeacribably grand, and hundreds Of peo.
pie watched the hamea from the wharf
and other good points Of view. 7t'7
Y THE ORIGIN or THE FIRE, g.,
The Are 10 believed TO have originated
from the ignition OF natural gas which
leaking from supply pipe had come In
contact with fro in the furnace. All the
circumstances ssem TO support this theory,
though several others we're advanced by
people about the place. '-'illlElI'.
Inc worSs Were particularly unfortu.
nate, as only Saturday new furnace was
completed. and the thirteen new pots Il.
contained Rlassed. The contents Of the
furnace, including the pots, will be q
heavy loss. -iHl'& 80
The destruction Of tho works will throw
upwards Of 200 hands out of employment.
The above number would probably have
been increased half hundred more to.
day, when tho new furnace was to have
been put In operation. The loss to these
people and the Bridgeport citizsns at large
will DO great blow. lI -, .sssi1'
CHEMICALS EXPLODE. 'oI=g
Tho heat from tho buildinga was 80 in.
tense as to impede the passage OF trains on
the @. X P. railroad for an hour or 30.
while q portion Of tho ties on the trestle
were badly scorched but fortunately not
ltod. r..as- 49, - =,
While the fire was burning brightly,
the east wall Of tho building fell with a
craoh, but fortunately no one was hurt OF
tho immense crowd THAT occupied the
vicinity. The mixing room contained, in
addition to q large amount Of valuable
chemicals, 100 bags OF nitrate Of coda, an
exceedingly powerful explosive. When
tho flames were reducing this part OF the
| works 10 ashes the intense heat fred the
explosives, which exploded in continuous
succession, the heavy mrfllsd reports
sounding lie iusiops csnnonsde, lead
ing the people on this side OF the river to
think that the natural gss was ploding,
and creating m incipisns panic, Tho fire
was Of exceedingly short duration, the en-.
tire plant being destroyed III three. quar-
tiers OF m honr. >5g.l
Willis the factory was blazing largo
numbers Of volunteers set to work to
empty the doomed warehouse Of its con.
sents. Two cal, loads Of ware were taken
out and run down the river bank, while
between 500 and GOO barrels Of it we're
rolled down the bank into the river. The
rough usage probably injured much OF 1t,
yet it was the only thing that could be
done under tho circumstancss.
TIE Loss, grc.
Fortunately all the books and papers
were enclosed ID two heavy cafes in the
Office, which bore thu brunt OF the fire
safely, although tho apartment was burned
down. ~ Fss,s III
The La Bale glans works has been un-
fortunate OF late years, but at the present
time was getting fairly on its feet and had
sufficient orders ehead to guarantee steady
work all winter. R. K. Citizen was preai-
dent OF the company, Ad Thcmpson eec-
rotary and Harry Northwood manager.
The loEs on buildiugs is Estimated at
S50, QUO, and on raw material and finished
ware about S35 600. Tho buildings cannot
DO replaced for less than $4,000. The
company has not decided whether 1t will
rebuild or not. Secretary Thompson told
an lNTELLIdEScER reporter last night that
tho list Of insurance companies and poll
cins could not be given yet, but the insur.
snce Is $4,000, on stock, buildings and
machinery. The policies ars in the safe
The insurance Was placed by Frank Rob-
inaon, Of Bridgeport, aud J. NJ. Brown, OF
this city. Mr.. Robinson said 1t would be
impossible to detail the loss correctly till
the policies we're occurred from the safe In
the ruins Of the Office. ,..'l IN 1i
A material item Of the los1 was caused
by the stealing OF ware after it was rolled
out OF tho burning buildings. Eye wit.
ncsseg said men and women went along,
deliberately kicking open packsses and
helping themselves to the contente. l.
Thousands Of people visited the ruins
yesterday. ..,.s-, 533zz
NEW MARTINsvILLE's VISITATION
A Serious Fire There Early Saturday Morn.
nv a1ls Ing. .9t
Shortly alter 4 o'clock Saturday morning
n Z. ! :